One of the most essential strengths a gigging musician must have is adaptability. Every gig comes with a new set of conditions: from the dimensions and design of the stage, to the size and position of the audience, to the PA system and the staff in charge of it.
Let's make an example out of the latter: for a certain gig some time ago, Millicent asked about the technical set up—as she always does—but a little later than usual. She got a reply through WhatsApp many hours later, and had to continue the conversation the next day. It became evident that the person answering to her wasn't tech-savvy, but rather followed instructions by the tech people at their organisation, which made the process slow. Thinking that this could cause problems down the line, Millicent decided to take her own PA system equipment to the venue, just in case.
When the day of the gig came, the sax mic didn't work, and there was no one among the staff who knew what to do. On top of...
Are you a gigging musician, singer, rapper or spoken word artiste with big dreams but unsure of how to make them come true? If so, this is for you.
Learn how to get better quality gigs, ensure the longevity of your career and the energy in your performances, build your image and increase your income with Revealed, a free booklet where Millicent Stephenson, a multi-award winning saxophonist with a successful career that spans decades, condensed her experience and insight into 25 key secrets.
As you read, it's a free booklet, no catch! All you have to do is to provide a valid e-mail address. You won't receive spam and your information isn't going to be disclosed to any third party. As easy as that!
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Learn where to buy professionally made Backing Tracks that enhance your performances, what software to use in order to adjust them to your needs and style, and how to play them to their max potential during gigs. Get ideas through real life examples, detailed explanations and quick tips that are easy to apply and remember. After this course, your performances will be on a while new level!
Watch the introductory video and get your course clicking here.
You can see more courses and resources in our store. If you want to get familiar with Millicent's teaching style first, there are free gifts for you as well!
Here is the transcription of episode 2 of season 3 of the podcast "Success Beyond The Score". Happy reading!
- Watch the video of the episode here: YouTube
- Listen to the audio of the episode here: Kajabi
PODCAST INTRO:
Today, the topic is: does your music have the juice to pull a crowd? This is so important. I think this is a really, really good topic because, um, I think it was just about a couple of weeks ago, a promoter contacted me and they said: Look, I am looking for someone to headline my show. Do you know anyone? And I was like: What type of musician you're looking for? And they described the kind they were looking for. I thought: Mm interesting. Who do I know -apart from myself- who do I know that they could book, that people would want to see. Because that is what they were looking for, they wanted to put someone on their flyer, someone local, someone in the West Midlands, they didn't want to travel too far. Yes, they could go abroad. Yes, they could go to London. But,...
As musicians, we require that the venues where we play provide us with certain things in order for us to be able to offer our best performances. Some examples are tables to locate our equipment, dressing rooms to get ready after a long ride to the venue, parking space near or in front of the venue with the possibility to offload, ramp access, etc. While some might think those are a given that all venues offer by default, the truth is that many of them do not. This is particularly troublesome for musicians with disabilities. After all, if you require certain accommodations due to a disability, you might be hesitant to try your hand at gigging due to fear of venues ignoring your needs.
First of all, rest assured knowing that all musicians have the same right to perform at public venues, no matter whether they have a disability or not. To ensure that this is a reality, the key is that artists and venue owners communicate in advance to clarify the needs of the show and take...
Here is the transcription of episode 1 of season 3 of the podcast "Success Beyond The Score". Happy reading!
- Watch the video of the episode here: YouTube
- Listen to the audio of the episode here: Kajabi
PODCAST INTRO
This is “Success Beyond The Score”, a podcast giving insights and tips to help you learn how to build your music career, from the best in the field, by Millicent Stephenson. Millicent is a multi-award winning saxophonist and endorser of Harry Hartman's Fiberreeds who is currently serving on the executive committee of the Musicians Union. With over 40 years of experience in the creative industry, Millicent has honed her performance and business skills. She provides personal development, training and coaching via her online platform: www.successbeyondthescore.com.
EPISODE INTRO
Hi! I am Millicent Stephenson and there are three things I absolutely believe in (apart from technology, which would the fourth thing). Number one, I believe every...
Some time ago, Sharon attended one of Millicent's "getting paid" webinars. She applied the principles discussed during the session and got good results, so she wrote to Millicent to tell her all about it. We are very happy for Sharon and want to share her words with you:
Thank you so much, Millicent!
I really should have messaged you before, but here it is: I am so grateful for the tips you gave on the webinar. I followed your advice about mentioning expenses and I received £60 and food for a community event . In the end, it was only required to do a play/workshop for about 15mins. The organiser was very happy . A young woman came to me afterwards and asked if I would record her playing the djembe. She had played dhol drum years back and experienced low self esteem, largely due to family dynamics. She left the event with her recording and beaming . This was a fantastic exchange and made it all so worth it
Thank you so much again, Millicent!
Best wishes for...
We have the firm belief that every musician should be paid their worth. Even if you do music as a hobby, your effort, dedication, skill and passion deserve recognition. Now, it is easier said than done, right? When it comes to the business side of music, many artists get lost in calculations, transactions, invoices, and the uncertainty of how to communicate fees and conditions to potential clients.
Don't get overwhelmed, though, there is a way out! In the e-course "Maye Your Music Pay", Millicent will teach you how to:
- Set your fee and get paid regularly.
- Build your confidence to say your price without anxiety.
- Negotiate a win-win for your fee.
- Collect your fee with no drama.
- Set up a money management system.
- Prepare for your tax return.
- Grow a fans mailing list.
With this, you'll understand the steps you can take now to work out your gig fee, collect your payment and manage your music money. Sounds good? Click here to watch the introductory video, get more information...
Today is the first of eleven days of amazing FREE live sessions to help you go further in your music career. At 1pm UK time, find Millicent on her YouTube channel talking about this series, what you can expect, and the seven stages of a gigging musician.
Don’t forget you can interact with Millicent during the sessions through the comments section. If you can’t make it to the livestream, don’t worry, the video will be saved in her channel for you to watch later.
This is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV3jS2FFouihpBOjgAxFj-A
Don’t forget to subscribe and activate notifications.
See you there at 1pm!
You've prepared yourself, you have practised, you have ideas about how your shows would go... you just aren't sure about how to get the gigs. Sounds familiar? Well, there are two informative products you can find here to help you with that.
First, there's the booklet "Revealed - 25 Secrets of the Successful Gigging Musician, Singer, Rapper & Spoken Word Artiste", a compendium of the best secrets of the industry to prepare and deliver excellent gigs that will keep your calendar full of events.
Then, there's the "Ten Resons Why They Will Pay You Before Gig Day" list, a concise document that will give you pointers to ensure receiving appropriate payment for your work in a timely manner.
CLICK HERE to download these two great products at no cost at all, and be sure to check the upcoming webinar "Get Paid What You Are Worth", which is also for free, in order to learn how to calculate your gig fees and communicate them effectively to potential clients.